François II

Francis of Habsburg, son of Leopold II, was the oldest of sixteen children. His uncle Joseph II had him brought to Vienna to prepare him to become emperor. Brought up in the enlightened despotism of his uncle, Francis II proved hostile to reforms and new ideas, which complicated his relations with his brother, Archduke Charles.

From the time he ascended the throne in March 1792, Francis II took part in the wars against the French Republic. He took part in all the coalitions against the country, which had guillotined his aunt, Marie Antoinette. His successive defeats were followed by treaties which successively further amputated his territory. For openers he lost the Austrian Netherlands by the Treaty of Campo Formio, then the Rhineland, the Tyrol, northern Italy. In 1806 he had to recognize the Confederation of the Rhine. The same year he renounced the crown of the Holy Roman Empire; from then on he was Francis I, hereditary emperor of Austria.

After the defeat at Wagram, in 1809, Francis granted the hand of his daughter Marie Louise to Napoleon. In 1812 he even had to let Austrian troops be incorporated into the great army for the Russian campaign, but at the end of 1813 the Sixth Coalition won the Battle of Leipzig and succeeded in pushing the French back across the Rhine. Three months later the Allies occupied Paris. Napoleon abdicated.

In 1815 the Congress of Vienna allowed Austria to regain preponderate influence in Europe, but Francis refused to restore the Holy Roman Empire. He contented himself with chasing out the liberals, confining Metternich to the area of foreign affairs, refusing reforms and new ideas. Married four times, he left a single heir, Archduke Ferdinand.